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Finnish minister says former IS fighters among asylum-seekers

Xinhua, November 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Finnish Minister for the Interior Petteri Orpo said on Tuesday there are former "Islamic State" (IS) fighters among those who are now staying in Finland and aiming to get asylum status.

The minister said the exact number of asylum seekers with IS background is not known.

Earlier on Tuesday, Finnish Security Police (SUPO) said they were monitoring some 300 people in Finland that may "have had contacts" or may "have knowledge about the group of fighters".

"But we cannot say that there are 300 terrorists in Finland," Orpo said.

Orpo noted that during the surveillance process, the connections with IS are either specified or dismissed. "If suspicion increases, the applicant will not get asylum in Finland," he said.

The minister also took up the issue of Finnish extremist organizations and their increased activity against immigration.

Orpo said the attacks by Finnish nationals opposing immigration could be the most concrete security threat.

"To ward off possible actions against asylum seekers, police activity has been enhanced in localities that have refugee reception facilities," Orpo said.

A appraisal on national security situation published on Tuesday by the Security Police mentioned the Finnish National Resistance Movement, which made media headlines in summer when their demonstration in Jyvaskyla escalated into violence. Orpo said that the organization is being watched.

Head of the Security Police Antti Pelttari said on Tuesday that sudden change in the number of asylum seekers meant a threat to Finnish security, but he said the risk level is still "low." In a 2014 assessment, the Security Police used the term "very low."

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila described the increase of level in the risk estimation "a serious matter," but said that "nothing alarming" had come to his attention. Endit